Peaceful Living

This article was taken from a teaching by David Alsobrook of Sure Word Ministries:

What is something almost all of nature abides in? Stillness. Quietness. Confidence. God’s will is that we should be that way too. Focusing on what might happen in the future is “what iffing” (pardon the grammar). “What if such and such happens tomorrow?” “What if the check doesn’t come in by the 15th?” “What if I get farther behind on my bills, what will I do then?” “What if he doesn’t keep his word to me and then I’m left without any recourse?” Many millions of people “what if” their lives away, and so very much of it never materializes anyway.

As a real Christian, the words that came out of Christ’s mouth matter to you. His forbidding of worry, strife, stress, and anxiety is still proceeding from His Throne. Does Jesus deserve your attention on how to live life His way? It’s more than not doing those things commonly regarded as evil (vices, crimes, fleshly sins). Those things are evil and we are to shun them, but stress is evil too. Fretting only leads to evil, David said. Mental noise and emotional stress is something we should name as sin and turn from with all our hearts. Repent of the sin of worry and ask God to deliver your mind from its evil tentacles that spread throughout your whole body adversely affecting every area of your life. “Do not fret-it only causes harm” (Psa. 37:8). Quit harming yourself and trust God more. “Rest in the Lord and wait longingly for Him” (Psa. 37:7).

Peace is Only Available Now
You must decide here and now to enter peace. Either Jesus gave us a real promise with real peace, or He didn’t. I have good news: He really did leave us His peace to live in day by day. I know. It’s fun getting to the place in life where you continually cast your cares upon the Lord. It’s a joyous, lighthearted way to live. Just drop that worrisome thought. Let it go. Release it. “Live in peace, and the God of love and peace shall be with you” (2 Cor. 13:11). Your trust level grows as you live by faith that God is watching over you, caring for you even more than He does for sparrows and lilies. Jesus said, “You are worth more than many sparrows.” Believe it. You were made in His image and were bought by His blood. You are special whether you ever “amount to anything” in man’s view. How people view you is irrelevant. Your specialness and uniqueness comes directly from God Himself.

How Do We Enter Quietness?
How do we still our hearts and minds? These three practices have helped me gain quietness, so perhaps they will help you too:

1. Obedience
“Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among
the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth” (Psa. 46:10).

When I was a child I sometimes became fidgety at times when I needed to remain still. Just a look from one of my parents sent a strong message of command: David, be still! Our Heavenly Father is commanding us to “be still” in much the same way. His purpose is that we might intimately “know that I am God” right in the midst of our busy, noisy lives. The way to be obedient is simply to will it. Pray aloud, “Father, I purpose in my heart to be still. Give me Your grace to quiet my mind.”

2. Focusing
“But the LORD is in His holy temple: let all the earth keep silence before Him” (Hab. 2:20).

Worship helps me focus on the Lord and still my inner self. Meditation on a Scripture passage always helps too. Whenever I become aware of His Presence I pay special attention to Him and focus all my thought attention upon Him. Stillness, and peace with it, arise within almost immediately.

3. Resting
“Rest in the LORD and wait patiently for Him…” (Psa. 37:7).

The theme of Psalm 37 is overcoming worry, fret, and anxiety. Reading this psalm during an anxious time can bring calm waters to a troubled inner sea. After you do everything you know to do, just rest. Stillness and confidence come to any sheep when he lies down in green pastures (Psa. 23).

Prophetic word through Donna Astern:

“I have put within you a seed of holy discontent, of wanting more, of seeing more of the kingdom of heaven established on the earth. I have put within you a dissatisfaction for a religious system that does not bring peace, joy, righteousness, and freedom.

“I came for freedom, being sent to do my Father’s will, to set the captives free from their chains and to release them into abundant joy.

“Just as I am anointed with the oil of joy, so are you. Allow my joy to bubble up and stream out of you.

“Change begins inwardly. As I change you, your impact on your circumstances and other people will also shift towards a greater synchronization with the Kingdom of Joy.

“Look up! Your help comes from the Maker of heaven and earth! What do you see by faith?”

“Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit”
(Rom 15:13)